Optical fiber reinforcing method and optical fiber reinforcing device

Abstract

In an optical fiber fusion reinforcing device, a distance from an end face 723 to a mid point C 6 of a reinforcing device 7 is set equal to a distance from a fusion splicing point M to an end face of a fusion splicing device 6 where optical fibers 3, 3 are inserted. The fusion splicing device 7 includes: positioning member 72 for aligning a mid point C 7 of a heat shrinkable reinforcing member 13 , which is slidably mounted on the fusion spliced optical fibers, and the fusion splicing point M of the optical fibers 3, 3 with each other; housing portion for housing the optical fibers 3, 3 and the heat shrinkable reinforcing member 13 so that the fusion splicing point M and the mid point of the heat shrinkable reinforcing member 13 are aligned, and heater for melting the heat shrinkable reinforcing member 13 in the housing portion.

1. An optical fiber reinforcing device comprising:
 a heating and reinforcing device shaped so that a first distance from an end face to a mid point thereof is set to be equal to a second distance from a fusion splicing position of an optical fiber fusion splicing device, which includes an optical fiber holding member and first and second guide portions for holding first and second optical fibers to be formed into a fusion spliced optical fiber with a fusion spliced point, to an end face of the holding member; 
 a positioning means provided on the heating and reinforcing device for aligning a mid point of a heat shrinkable reinforcing member, which is inserted to the fusion spliced optical fiber and covers a fusion spliced point of the fusion spliced optical fiber, to a midpoint of the heating and reinforcing device; 
 a housing provided on the main body and shaped to house the fusion spliced optical fiber and the reinforcing member and align the fusion splicing point and the mid point of the heat shrinkable reinforcing member with each other; and 
 a heater provided in the housing to melt the reinforcing member. 
 
   
   
     2. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning means is arranged on the reinforcing device and comprises a contact portion, wherein a contact face of the contact portion is positioned at a distance of half of a total length of the reinforcing member from the mid point of the optical fiber reinforcing device, and an end face of the reinforcing member contacts the contact face to carry out positioning. 
   
   
     3. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning means comprises a groove which is provided on the heater, a contact portion comprising a contact face and which is slideable along the groove, and a scale which is provided along the groove and includes marks provided at distances of half of a total length of various reinforcing members from the mid point of the reinforcing device. 
   
   
     4. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber fusion splicing device is provided integrally with the optical fiber heating and reinforcing device. 
   
   
     5. An optical fiber reinforcing device wherein a first distance from an end face thereof to an injecting portion, through which fusion point reinforcing resin is injected, is equal to a second distance from a fusion splicing position of an optical fiber fusion splicing device, which includes an optical fiber holding member and first and second guide portions for holding first and second optical fibers to be formed into a fusion spliced optical fiber with a fusion spliced point, to the end face of the holding member, the optical fiber reinforcing device comprising:
 a pair of main bodies detachable from each other and comprising an inserting hole into which the fusion spliced optical fiber is inserted; 
 a reinforcing resin injecting portion provided in at least one of the main bodies; and 
 an irradiation portion for curing the reinforcing resin. 
 
   
   
     6. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second positioning means for indicating that the fusion spliced point of the fusion spliced optical fiber is aligned with the mid point of the heating and reinforcing device. 
   
   
     7. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 6 , wherein the second positioning means protrudes from the heating and reinforcing device in the same plane as the end face thereof. 
   
   
     8. An optical fiber reinforcing device wherein a first distance from an end face thereof to a mid point of the reinforcing device is set to be equal to a second distance from a fusion splicing position of an optical fiber fusion splicing device, which has an optical fiber holding member and first and second guide portions which for holding first and second optical fibers to be formed into a fusion spliced optical fiber with a fusion spliced point, to an end face of the holding member, the optical fiber reinforcing device comprising:
 a housing for housing the fusion spliced optical fiber and a heat shrinkable reinforcing member which has been mounted to the fusion spliced optical fiber in advance of fusion of the first and second optical fibers; 
 a heater provided in a vicinity of the housing to melt the reinforcing member; and 
 a positioning member for aligning the mid point of the reinforcing device and a mid point of the reinforcing member with each other, wherein 
 a contact face of the positioning member is disposed at a distance of a half of a total length of the reinforcing member from the mid point of the reinforcing device. 
 
   
   
     9. An optical fiber reinforcing device comprising:
 an optical fiber fusion splicing device comprising: an optical fiber holding member for holding and aligning first and second component optical fibers; and optical fiber fusion means for fusing the first and second component optical fibers into a fusion spliced optical fiber at a fusion spliced point, wherein the fusing takes place at a fusion splicing position of the optical fiber fusion splicing device, 
 the optical fiber reinforcing device further comprising a heating and reinforcing device, comprising: 
 positioning means for aligning a mid point of a heat shrinkable reinforcing member to the fusion spliced point of the fusion spliced optical fiber, wherein the heat shrinkable reinforcing member is slideably arranged on the fusion spliced optical fiber; 
 a housing shaped to house the fusion spliced optical fiber and the reinforcing member and maintain the alignment of the fusion splicing point and the mid point of the heat shrinkable reinforcing member; and 
 a heater arranged to melt the reinforcing member, 
 wherein a first distance measured from an end face to the mid point of the heating and reinforcing device is equal to a second distance measured from the fusion splicing position of the optical fiber fusion splitting device to an end face of the holding member thereof. 
 
   
   
     10. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the positioning means protrudes from the heating and reinforcing device, and comprises a contact face positioned at a third distance from the mid point of the heating and reinforcing device; 
 the third distance is one-half of the total length of the reinforcing member; and 
 and end face of the reinforcing member abuts the contact face to effect the alignment of the mid point of the reinforcing member and the fusion spliced point of the fusion spliced optical fiber. 
 
   
   
     11. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the housing and heater are integrally formed; 
 the positioning means comprises a groove in the heater, a contact portion having a contact face, and a scale which is provided along the groove; 
 the scale comprises marks provided at a distance of half of a total length of variously sized reinforcing members from the mid point of the heating and reinforcing device; and 
 the contact portion is slidable along the groove. 
 
   
   
     12. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber fusion splicing device is provided integrally with the heating and reinforcing device. 
   
   
     13. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the optical fiber fusion means comprises opposing discharge electrode rods. 
   
   
     14. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , further comprising a second positioning means for indicating that the fusion spliced point of the fusion spliced optical fiber is aligned with the mid point of the heating and reinforcing device. 
   
   
     15. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 14 , wherein the second positioning means protrudes from the heating and reinforcing device in the same plane as the end face thereof. 
   
   
     16. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the positioning means is U-shaped. 
   
   
     17. An optical fiber reinforcing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the positioning means is L-shaped. 
   
   
     18. An optical fiber reinforcing device, comprising:
 an optical fiber fusion splicing device comprising: an optical fiber holding member for holding and aligning first and second component optical fibers; and optical fiber fusion means for fusing the first and second component optical fibers into a fusion spliced optical fiber at a fusion spliced point, wherein the fusing takes place at a fusion splicing position of the optical fiber fusion splicing device, 
 the optical fiber reinforcing device further comprising a reinforcing device, comprising: 
 first and second main bodies, which are detachable from each other, arranged adjacent to each other to comprise an inserting hole into which fused optical fibers are inserted; 
 a reinforcing resin injecting portion provided to at least one of the main bodies; 
 a holder arranged adjacent to the first and second main bodies; and 
 an irradiation portion for curing the reinforcing resin, 
 wherein a first distance measured from an end face of the holder to the injecting portion is set to be equal to a second distance measured from the fusion splicing position of the optical fiber fusion splitting device to an end face of the holding member thereof.